Time and Motion
by Eilidh17
Summary: Daniel cracks the code to a centuries old puzzle with dire consequences. Kidfic but ends back in canon.
1. Chapter 1

Time and Motion by Eilidh17

Category: Gen, Kidfic

Warnings: Angst, H/c, may be some iffy words from Jack

Notes: This story shifts back and forth in time pockets so I'm hoping I don't lose you all along the way by posting in chapters. Timed out from the LD3 zine.

**Time and Motion**

The rubble shifted as Sam stepped through the Stargate, pitching her toward the scattered remnants of the MALP among the older scraps of whatever building had once protected the 'gate from the bruising fury of the continent-spanning storm above them.

Staggering to maintain her footing and shielding her eyes from the flying debris, Sam watched as Janet Fraiser emerged from the gate, her face morphing into a look of panic as she was hit with a gust of wind that threatened to send her back into the event horizon.

"Janet!" Sam yelled, knowing that her words wouldn't carry above the deafening howl of the storm, but hoping her frantic waving would be enough to get her friend's attention. "This way," Shrugging her pack higher on her back, Sam stumbled her way towards the remnants of a low wall, hoping it would afford them a modicum of shelter. Moments later both women were huddled together in a corner, jackets pulled over their heads as the vicious storm hurled anything that wasn't secured around them.

Sam dragged the radio on her vest up to her mouth, and pulling the jacket down further to block out the din from the wind, keyed it on. "Colonel?" she yelled, not fully able to gauge the volume of her voice. "Colonel O'Neill, do you read me?" Sam waited and tried to listen for a response but got nothing but static. "Where in Sam Hill are they?"

"How far from the gate did you leave them?"

"About four miles." Sam released her vest and slumped back against the wall. "Daniel was in so much pain the colonel had Teal'c hide him in a cave we found while we led the Lhavanian's away from their position. When we were sure we'd lost them the colonel recommended I go on ahead to get help."

Janet nodded her head, pulling her jacket tighter around her chest. "I don't think we can risk going much further in this weather, Sam."

"We have to." Sam struggled to her knees, chancing a look over the decaying wall at the surrounding ruins. "We can't stay here. I barely made it past the Lhavanian hunting party last time. No telling if they're still here." Doing a quick visual scan of the area, she briefly turned her attention back to Janet, "And, if my theory is correct, then what is happening to Daniel is in direct proportion to the weather we are experiencing. I don't think this storm is going to get any better, in fact-" Sam suddenly fell back to the ground, instinctively covering her head as a branch from a nearby tree sailed overhead at an astonishing speed. Picking herself up and slinking back to the wall, she moaned, "I think it's going to get a whole lot worse!"

**~oOo~**

"I want my Mommy."

Tired blue eyes, their lashes soaked with freshly shed tears peer out at me from behind softly curled bangs, his small thumb detaching from the strong sucking grip only long enough to whimper out his plea. My heart is breaking. His already has. Nothing I say will soothe his frightened mind and no matter how much I reach out to calm him, he pulls away.

It's been this way for almost a day now. This is an emotional tug-of-war that I know neither of us is likely to win. If we were taking bets though, my money would be on Daniel. My former six foot, strapping archeologist and best friend, never knew what hit him. The object that the outwardly friendly Lhavanian's claimed was a puzzle had looked so innocuous. A tiny metallic orb, perfectly seamless and decorated with an as yet undeciphered language, had Daniel hopping about with excitement.

I remember standing amongst the crowd that had gathered, watching Daniel cradle the small orb in one hand, whilst the fingers of the other danced across the inscribed surface. His face was a mask of concentration, frowning as though the words weren't behaving to his silent request for them to make sense. I knew though, knew it would only be a matter of time till this particular enigma was resigned to the great Daniel Jackson book of '_mysteries solved_'.

I can still feel the small smile that tugged at my lips as I watched him taking notes and peering at this curiosity through the old battered magnifying glass he'd retrieved from the depths of his pack. I had a feeling of intense pride and relief that came with knowing my friend, whose absence I had so deeply felt when he ascended, was back in my life, filling the emotional void that our team had been living in for so long, and back doing what he loved most.

My quiet moment of contemplation hadn't lasted long though. I watched as Daniel straightened up, and balancing the small orb in one hand tapped several of the finely etched symbols in what seemed like a random order. Watching the deep frown cross his face raised my alarm bells and had me jogging towards him. I was nowhere near quick enough though. The orb radiated an orange hue and emitted a whistle so high-pitched we grabbed at our ears in pain. I reached out to grab Daniel's wrist but found myself unable to move, caught in the mesmerizing spectacle of this tiny little sphere opening up like petals on a flower to reveal a small gem nestled in its centre.

Too stunned to react, I watched as the gem glowed red-hot, and spat out a beam enveloping Daniel. He cried out, and catching my glance, willed me to help him before he collapsed, dropping the damn thing on the ground.

My retinas felt like they'd been fried and dark shapes moved across my line of vision. I called Daniel's name, but got no response. Getting down on my hands and knees, and shaking my head to clear my still blurred vision, I began to feel my way around the ground. In my mind, Daniel had to be there, I just didn't know where.

A child's whimper had me stumbling towards the small stone dais I knew was Daniel's last location. My hand latched onto a boot and then moved up a leg, but I knew something was terribly wrong. Too small, everything about this body was too small. A child blinked back at me with such fear in his eyes, it made me want to cry. However, even though my mind refused to believe it, in my heart I knew who it was. The wide-eyed innocent was our Daniel.

I could hear Sam and Teal'c as they approached us from behind. Sam's anguished cry mixed with Teal'c's admonishment to stay down as he took stock of the situation.

My energy was gone. Dizzy and still trying to clear my blurred vision, I watched hazily as Teal'c scooped the child into his arms while Sam murmured sombre words of comfort.

That had been two days ago, and a lot can happen in two days. Unfortunately for us, a lot of thing went wrong in those two days.

**~oOo~**

"No."

"No?"

"This is the first time in our established history that the puzzle has been solved. It is a sign of blessing, of better times ahead." Zahur laced the fingers of his hands together, bowing his head deeply in reverence.

"So you're saying that we can't leave because Daniel solved some kid's puzzle that no one has been able to solve in years?" Jack was more than a little bit annoyed at this point. All attempts to leave the dome had failed, as Zahur, the village elder and head priest, had blocked their path both physically and verbally, insisting that Daniel be left within the dome.

"It is more than a puzzle, Colonel. The Ipotma has been an item of great religious importance amongst our peoples since the time before recorded history. Its true purpose has been lost but the knowledge that it is a token of great esteem and power has not." Zahur moved towards the dais, and scooping the small orb into his hand, he caressed it adoringly, running his fingers over the delicate engravings. "Every year the men of the village attempt to decipher the writings on the Ipotma, to solve the riddle that has eluded us for millennia. None have succeeded till now."

"Daniel thought this was a riddle, some sort of game to be played, and you," Jack stepped forward, invading Zahur's personal space and stabbing a finger to his chest, growled, "You let him believe he was doing nothing more than playing along!"

Zahur looked down at the finger currently resting on his chest and flicked it away with his hand, earning him a scowl from Jack. "My apologies, Colonel, I assumed that Doctor Jackson understood the writing on the Ipotma."

"Daniel understands a lot of things, he's a smart guy."

"Then he surely understood the reward that awaited him."

"Reward?" Jack asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Yes, it has long been known that he who solved the mystery of the Ipotma would be the savior of our people."

"Oy vey," Jack muttered, shaking his head slowly.

**~oOo~**

"Over here!" Jack croaked, his voice raw and husky from constantly shouting over the din of the violent storm. Waving his left hand over his head, he signalled Teal'c forward towards his position as the rat-tat-tat of Sam's P90 let loose a barrage of suppression fire.

"We have no time to stop, O'Neill," Teal'c stumbled slightly as a strong gust of wind tore its way through the gully, uprooting small trees and other plant life it encountered, "the Lhavanian's are close behind." Teal'c huffed breathlessly, the burden in his arms taxing his already drained adrenaline levels.

"I know, T, just get Daniel into the cave and let me worry about our hosts." Jack ripped the cap off his head before the wind could claim it and thrust it into the pocket of his BDU jacket.

Teal'c, gripping the tiny limp bundle to his chest, turned briefly in the direction of the now distant dome, half-expecting the perusing forces to be right on top of them. Finding the way behind him clear, he made his way towards the cave, urging his weary body forward, the weight of Daniel's slumbering body seeming to multiply with every step.

"Take him as far back as you can." Jack motioned, sweeping aside a tall bush that was partially covering the entrance to the cave, letting Teal'c and his precious cargo past. "Carter and I are going to try and lead the Lhavanian's past your location and then we'll double back. You have to keep him as quiet as possible."

Looking down at the angelic features of his downsized team-mate, Teal'c sighed and muttered, "I don't think keeping DanielJackson quiet will be a particularly challenging task, O'Neill."

"No." Jack took stock of the pale features of his archeologist and frowned, "How long has he been like this, Teal'c?"

"Since we left the protective biosphere of the dome." Making his way to the rear of the cave, Teal'c lay Daniel down, careful to keep him tightly bound in his sleeping bag.

Watching as Jack bent down and brushed away the soft bangs from Daniel's face, Teal'c let a small smile tug at his lips as Daniel immediately reacted by turning his head towards the touch.

"I believe DanielJackson is aware of your presence."

"Yeah," Jack sighed and stood back up. "Hold the fort here T. Carter and I will be back as soon as it's safe."

Teal'c nodded and turned his attention back to Daniel, tucking the sleeping bag tighter around his team-mate's body before settling himself at the entrance of the cave. Grasping his staff weapon tightly in his hands, he wished, not for the first time, that this mission had never been approved, that they had never visited this forsaken world.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**Time and Motion**

**Chapter 2**

"Strong breeze, hey, Carter?" Colonel Jack O'Neill sneered sarcastically in reverence to the howling wind that had whipped SG1 from the moment they'd set foot on P7Y337, a planet Jack wholly intended to come up with a more user friendly name for.

Holding her diagnostic tool in front of her at just below eye level, Sam walked a slow circle, a small frown crossing her face as she took in the readings from the device. "MALP readings from the last few days did indicate a gradual build-up in atmospheric conditions, sir."

"Are we talking cyclonic here, or just your average day in the windy city?" Hitching his pack up high on his shoulder, Jack turned to seek out the rest of his team, finding Daniel standing amongst, what the archeologist had suspected, was the ruins of the building that had housed the Stargate at one time.

"I can't be sure, sir. Without setting up a long term weather station here I can only guess that this type of activity might be seasonal. The wind speed has definitely increased by five miles per hour since the last MALP feed over four hours ago."

"So we're safe here, right?" Jack now shifted his attention onto Teal'c, the fourth member of the team, as the big Jaffa walked a tight perimeter circle ever alert for any threats.

"If the increase in wind speed stays constant then I'd say we have at least two days before we'd need to retreat back to earth."

Two days, Jack thought. Was that going to be enough? The strong electromagnetic field that the MALP had detected had Sam and her science department drooling all over the readouts and practically begging Hammond for a survey mission. Jack wasn't all that convinced. In the end though, geology had won out when soil samples detected high quantities of Trinium and other SGC wish list minerals, making a manned survey mission to the planet all but inevitable. First though, Jack groaned inwardly, was recon, and who better to send than SG1 and its science twins.

"How far?"

"To the electromagnetic field reading, sir?"

Jack swung his P90 upwards, resting it comfortably across his left forearm. "No, to dinner, Carter," he mumbled, "yes, how far to this field thing of yours?"

"Ah, just under five miles," Sam replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Oy," Jack muttered, shaking his head and slinging his P90 across his jacketed arm, "Well round up the kids and let's get going before we all get blown to Oz."

~oOo~

If it hadn't been for her trusty diagnostic tool and the fantastic light show that was being bounced off the local vegetation, Sam was sure they would have missed the magnificent spectacle that lay before them. Six hours from the gate the team came across a gully nestled amongst two mid-range mountains. Perching themselves atop a small bluff, Daniel had been the first to spot the rainbow hue of the flora that seemed to change and bleed away as the sun made a gallant effort to break through the cloud-heavy sky. Following the spectacle to a point, the team had soon discovered the golden hue of a dome, its brilliant outer skin responsible for the kaleidoscope of colors that danced over the nearby plant life.

"It's a bio-dome," Sam announced, juggling her binoculars in one hand and the diagnostic tool in the other. "So perfectly formed it's barely visible, and if it wasn't for the light refraction from the sun and the obvious EM issues, I doubt we would have ever known it was there." Placing the diagnostic tool down, she inched further along the top of the bluff, taking a moment to scan the area around the structure before turning her attention back towards it. "This is just amazing. The power usage requirement to keep a dome this large in operation must be off the scale. Considering its size I'm surprised that the electromagnetic field it's giving off isn't much stronger. It could be in some type of power-down mode." Sam was sure she could feel the colonel rolling his eyes from behind her but shrugged off the annoying thought as she shifted her body again to get a better angle.

"I wonder how many redundant systems they're using and how their bleeding off excess power?" Lowering her binoculars she flipped over onto her back and sat up. "This is just amazing, sir"

"So you said, Carter."

"The technology level required to sustain and maintain such an environment is way beyond anything we have."

"And you can tell this from just looking at the thing?" Sam couldn't miss the sarcasm that crept into Jack's voice and raised her eyebrows, a small smile on her lips.

Lowering his own binoculars and rolling onto his side, Daniel asked, "Anyone we know, Sam?"

"Well," Sam paused, chewing on her lip, her brows knitted in thought, "it could be pretty much anyone. The Goa'uld are renowned for stealing and integrating technology into their own, and the Tollan and Nox are more than capable of producing technology like this."

"Asgard?" Daniel asked.

"Maybe," Bringing the dome back into focus, Sam murmured, "Could be technology indigenous to this world. It's seen a lot of years though. I can see scoring and broken panels on the outer shell."

"Well, kids, this is what we're here for. Let's see what Oz has to offer us!"

~oOo~

Sam and Janet made their way along the long, winding floor of the gully, pieces of foliage zipping past their bodies like missiles as the near cyclonic winds battered the landscape turning it into a war zone.

"Sam!" Janet hollered as she stumbled over an exposed tree root, momentum throwing her forward, launching her bulky pack over her shoulders and driving her head first into the ground.

Sam, having difficulty maintaining her own footing, had barely caught her friend's urgent call over the roar of the wind. Turning her back against the direction of the gust, she staggered her way back to Janet, hooking her hand under the strap of her pack and hoisting her to her knees. "You okay?" she shouted, holding onto Janet with one hand and running a hand across her friend's bleeding temple with the other.

"Fine!" Janet replied, looking off to her right, tilting her chin towards a nearby cluster of boulders. "Just need to sit down for a bit!"

Taking the hint and realizing suddenly how tired she was herself, Sam guided Janet towards the outcropping of rocks, grateful for the brief respite they afforded from the storm.

"How much farther, Sam?" Janet asked, taking a cotton swab from her pack and wiping it across her brow.

Sam shook her head, closed her eyes, and leant back against her pack. "I'm not sure. I've tried the radio several times along the trail but I haven't been able to breakthrough the atmospheric interference. I think I heard the colonel's voice at one time, but I can't be sure if it was him or the wind."

Taking the diagnostic tool from the pocket of her vest, Sam flicked on the screen and held it in front of her face. "I'm sure there is some rational explanation for this," she muttered, her face a picture of confusion as she attempted to make sense of the readings.

"Problem?" Janet pulled the plastic shield from the plaster on her forehead and packed it away in her pack.

"I'm not sure." Tucking the tool away in her vest, Sam let her self relax for a moment, lifting her hand to rub at the bridge of her nose, "I've been comparing the telemetry from the MALP plus my own readings against those that I took when Daniel triggered the puzzle. I'm not sure of the connection yet but the electromagnetic footprint is almost identical."

"Coincidence?"

"Normally I'd say yes but my gut is telling me there is something more going on here than we're seeing." Pausing, Sam shrugged off her pack, and unclipping the tabs, she rummaged through it and withdrew the small silver orb.

"What's that?" Janet leaned in closer, reaching forward to touch the shiny silver ball with her gloved hand.

"This is the orb Daniel touched." Turning the orb over in her hands, Sam took a moment to run her fingers across the fine inscription. "I thought it might help to have it if we have any hope of figuring out how to change him back."

Janet pulled her hand back involuntarily as though expecting to suffer the same fate as Daniel. "If the orb is an object of worship by these people, how did you get hold of it?"

Sam ducked her head low and placed the orb back in her pack. "I took it, Janet. Not my finest hour and not something I'm terribly proud of, but they left us with no choice. They wouldn't let Daniel go, and it was a hell of a battle to get him back."

~oOo~

Jack watched as Teal'c picked up Daniel, his small archeologist striking out with his tiny fists as the Jaffa's strong arms raised him off the ground and into his arms.

"Lemme go!" Daniel shrieked, his face a picture of fear and mistrust, tracks of tears dropping onto the long white robe the Lhavanian's had dressed him in. "Don't wanna go," he pleaded, little legs kicking against Teal'c's stomach in protest.

Jack tried his best to ignore Daniel's pained pleas, keeping his P90 firmly trained on Zahur and the small congregation of villagers that were determined to prevent his team from making their escape. "Sam?" he asked, chancing a small glance in her direction as she packed the orb in her backpack and shrugged it onto her shoulders.

"Got it, sir."

"Good, make sure the way is clear. Teal'c will be right behind you." Jack took a step towards the villagers, allowing Sam and Teal'c to move towards the exit with their unappreciative friend. "This will be a whole lot easier on everyone if you just let us leave peacefully," Jack announced, moving his weapon in a slow arc, encompassing the crowd gathered in the room.

Zahur, obviously not agreeing with Jack's interpretation of events, took a cautious step forward arm out in a sign of goodwill but his eyes mirroring a look of defiance. "You know we cannot allow you to leave with the boy. Surely it is obvious from his reaction to you that he does not wish to leave."

"Aht." Jack brought his weapon back to bear on Zahur. "I wouldn't take another step if I was you. Don't think I won't use this." Jack tapped the side of his P90. "You don't want to know what sort of damage I can do to you right now."

"Colonel," Zahur stopped in his tracks, his eyes darting between Jack and the weapon aimed squarely at his chest. "None of us wants to see anyone hurt. Just leave the boy and the rest of your team can go."

Jack tilted his head to the side, a small sneer tugging at his lips as he fixed a stare at Zahur so fierce he was sure the other man could feel a hole being bored into his head. "Let me make this perfectly clear, just so there's no misunderstanding. We are not leaving here without Daniel. I don't care what you think the kid wants; he's not yours to keep. You've lied to us from the start and I don't hand out second chances. Now," Jack took a step backwards towards the exit, "you can either make a move against us, in which case you're going to find out personally what I can do with this weapon, or you'll hold your ground, in which case no one is going to get hurt. The choice is all yours, but know this." Jack aimed his P90 at the ground, and moving his finger from the trigger guard to the trigger, let loose a short burst of fire several feet in front of Zahur. Watching the other man and his entourage leap back, throwing their arms up in defence, he smiled. "I will use this to defend myself, and my team." Jack moved back towards the door and offered his best predatory smile, "Are we all clear now?"

To be continued….


	3. Chapter 3

**Time and Motion**

Chapter Three

A small muffled groan from the back of the darkened cave made its way to Teal'c's finely tuned ears, and after once more scanning the clearing in front of their carefully concealed hide-out, he made his way back to his small friend.

"Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c lowered himself to the ground, reaching out to clasp the thin shoulder that had uncovered itself from the sleeping bag. The moment his hand connected with Daniel, the boy let out a piercing howl, his small body arching itself off the ground, eyes snapping open, wide and unstaring.

Teal'c panicked, grabbing Daniel by the shoulders and forcing him onto his side as his friend's body jerked violently from the spasm of a seizure.

"O'Neill?" Teal'c yelled frantically, one hand maintaining its death grip on Daniel, the other clasped firmly onto the radio attached to the pocket of his vest.

Waiting, but not expecting an answer, Teal'c jumped as a bolt of lightning arced into the entrance of the cave, blue tendrils of electrical charge spreading out from the impact point and lighting up the dark space with an eerie glow.

Teal'c blinked as residual flash from the lightning left a ghosting image across his sight. Turning his attention back to Daniel, he pressed his fingers against the pulse point in his neck, sighing with relief as his fingers registered a strong though slightly fast heartbeat.

Easing his friend onto his back, he frowned, the half-light afforded from the cave entrance casting a shadow across Daniel's features. Smoothing away sweat-soaked hair from Daniel's forehead, Teal'c ran a finger across the boy's jaw-line and throat, before gently tugging down the chiton robe, exposing his upper chest.

"This is not right," Teal'c muttered, covering Daniel's body back up and tucking the sleeping bag tightly around his shoulders. Sitting back against the wall, he gripped the radio in his hand and tilted his head down to speak into it. "O'Neill?" Releasing the call button he waited patiently.

Nothing.

Yes, Teal'c thought, something was definitely not right with Daniel Jackson.

~oOo~

Sam snatched the cap from her head, frowning as the near cyclonic winds tried to rip it from her hand and send it soaring into the heavens along with the other debris the massive storm was tossing around. Shoving the cap inside her vest, she rested her cheek against the side of her P90, peering through the targeting sight at the heavily wooded entrance to the gully.

Leaving Daniel and Teal'c in the cave, Sam and the colonel led Zahur and his priests on a wild goose chase leading them away from the dome and out of the gully. Taking up diagonally opposite locations across the only path leading into the gully, they had laid in wait for the last five minutes, listening intently as the Lhavanian patrol had crashed their way through the undergrowth obviously not caring that their intended targets could hear their every move. Even the howl of the blustering wind had not been able to dampen their haphazard movements.

"_O'N_…" Sam's earpiece crackled, static chewing up the words and spitting them out like a broken record. Looking across the pathway to Jack's location she could just make out his outline amongst the low-standing shrubs he'd concealed himself in.

Dragging her radio up to her mouth, she whispered, "Colonel?"

"_I heard it, Carter, hold your position." _Jack's reply echoed through her earpiece.

Releasing her radio, Sam turned her attention back to the slowly approaching Lhavanian's, watching with curiosity as the men sauntered along the wind-battered path, their crude weapons hanging low at their sides. They have no idea, she thought, moving her P90 from one person to the next, knowing that with one quick burst she could extinguish their lives.

"_O'Neill?_" Damn, Sam cursed, even though she was silently grateful that the team had employed their earpieces to cut down their chances of being heard by their pursuers. Looking across at Jack she could tell that he too had heard Teal'c's now desperate sounding call, but knew there was nothing they could do till the Lhavanian's had passed their position.

Moments later the Lhavanian patrol was on top of them, the wind pushing so hard against their bodies that every step they took looked like a struggle. The priests were wearing thick cloaks, their arms wrapped around their torsos to keep the cold out. Pushing forward, they stumbled past Sam's and Jack's location, seemingly uninterested in tracking their targets.

Sam let out the breath she had been holding, relaxing the grip on her weapon once the patrol had moved out of sight. Spotting Jack rise from his hiding spot, she followed suit, crossing the path to his position, watching with intense curiosity as she heard him calling Teal'c on his radio.

"Teal'c, this is O'Neill, do you copy?"

Sam could see Jack closing his eyes, trying to listen for radio chatter over the deafening sound of the wind. "Teal'c?" Moving closer, Sam raised her hand to her earpiece, pressing down on the small device in the hope of picking up any faint transmissions.

"_O'Neill."_

"We hear you, buddy; sorry about not answering you earlier. We had hostiles at our location."

Sam nodded her head, the relief at hearing Teal'c's voice easing her worried mind. Cradling her P90, she turned in the direction the departing Lhavanian's had taken, watching for any sign of their return, and simultaneously listening in on Teal'c's conversation.

"How's Daniel?" Jack asked, a hint of concern audible in his voice.

"_He has suffered a seizure. It only lasted a few moments but was quite intense. I am concerned that something is happening to him."_

Sam directed her attention back to Jack, noting the worried look that crossed his face, directly mirroring her own.

"What do you mean? What's happening to him?"

"_His physical appearance has changed. He seems somehow older than when we first entered the cave."_

"Older?" Jack questioned, raising his eyebrows and looking at Sam.

"_Indeed. When the seizure abated, his facial features seemed altered. This took place at around the same time that lightning struck the cave that we are currently occupying. I am unsure as to whether the two incidences are related but the timing seemed most coincidental."_

Sam shook her head, trying to make sense of the situation but knowing she was failing. How could the weather be related to the changes that Teal'c had noted in Daniel? Resting her P90 across her left arm, she took out the diagnostic tool from her vest pocket and flicked the screen on. Scrolling through the readings, she stopped at the readings she had taken previously when Daniel had been struck by the energy beam from the orb. Frowning, she scrolled even further down, bringing up the results the MALP had taken prior to the team setting foot on P7Y337.

"Problem, Carter?"

"I don't know, sir." Sam flicked the screen off and packed the device back into the pocket of her vest. "I just compared the readouts I've been taking on the atmospheric conditions of the planet and running them against the electrical discharge that enveloped Daniel and they are almost identical." Shaking her head, she continued, "Teal'c gave me the idea when he mentioned the lightning strike coinciding with the seizure that Daniel had and it made me think."

"And?" Jack asked, his eyebrows raised questioningly.

"And I don't know, sir. The readings are very close but I haven't quite worked out what the connection could be."

"_O'Neill!"_ Teal'c's frantic called echoed through their ear pieces disrupting Sam's chain of thought. _"Daniel Jackson is seizing again and the weather in the vicinity of the cave has intensified. I have turned him onto his side and cleared his airway but I am unable to render any further assistance." _

"Hold tight, Teal'c, I'm on my way back to you!" Jack turned to Sam, squinting as a sudden gust of wind slapped him in the face. "Carter, I need you to make your way to the gate and get help. Bring Fraiser back if you can. I'm heading back to help Teal'c."

Sam nodded her approval. "The Lhavanian's are still in the area, sir."

"I know, but I think our options are limited and Daniel's time is running out. Keep your eyes open. I think they're going to head back in our direction when they realize they can't track us any further, so you should be safe."

"I'll be fine, just take care of Daniel."

~oOo~

Teal'c leant close to Daniel, the bone cracking seizures finally ending. Wiping away the frothing drool from his mouth, he tucked the survival blanket tighter around Daniel's small form, making note of his pale face. Teal'c was sure the changes he had noticed in Daniel's features were not a product of his imagination but somehow connected to the escalating weather patterns taking place on the planet.

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c urged, rubbing his friend's all-too-small shoulder and whispering close to his ear. "Daniel."

Teal'c watched closely as Daniel tried valiantly to open his eyes, blinking furiously against the dim light that filtered into the cave.

Running his tongue over his dry lips, Daniel tried to sit up, his body encumbered by the survival blanket Teal'c had swaddled him in. Teal'c reached forward to assist his friend only to draw back when Daniel's eyes suddenly went wide and his face paled. Clumsily pushing the survival blanket down, Daniel scrambled from the sleeping bag, never taking his eyes off Teal'c, his face a mask of terror as he backed himself towards the nearby wall.

Startled by Daniel's violent reaction, Teal'c whispered, "DanielJackson, it is I, Teal'c."

Daniel's head shook, his teeth chattering violently. The tremors continued to course through his body making Teal'c watch him closely. Gripping the discarded blanket in his hand, he held the item out hoping Daniel would take it, but was instantly disheartened when the child ducked his head into his shoulder and squeezed his eyes shut.

Teal'c nodded his head, understanding that this was not the Daniel he knew, this was a child who had no idea where he was or who he was with. A small child, sick and afraid, that he had little hope of communicating with. Leaving the blanket just within reach of Daniel, he slowly moved himself backwards, affording his friend some space and opportunity to take the offered warmth if he wanted to.

As he moved closer towards the mouth of the cave, movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention and he was immediately on his feet, priming his staff weapon and bringing it to bear.

"Whoa!" Jack exclaimed, raising his arms in defence as he swept ungraciously into the cave on the wings of a particularly strong gust of wind. "Just me, Teal'c, stand down."

Relaxing his stance slightly, Teal'c greeted Jack with a small nod and turned his attention back to the rear of the cave.

"Daniel Jackson has awoken but appears most disturbed by my presence." Teal'c led Jack back to Daniel's position, noting that the boy hadn't moved at all, not even to retrieve the blanket.

"Daniel," Jack whispered, placing his P90 on the ground and getting down on all fours. "You gonna talk to me buddy?" Wincing, Jack sat back and grabbed his left knee with his hand, "You can't be comfortable there, and I know I'm not. What's say we get you wrapped up and away from that cold wall?"

Teal'c watched as his team leader tried to persuade their friend out of the protective cocoon he'd retreated into, without success.

"I do not believe that Daniel Jackson understands us," Teal'c stated matter-of-factly as he watched Jack climb back to his feet and back away from Daniel once again.

"Well, something is definitely not right here, T." Shaking his head sadly, Jack ran his hands over his face and let out a long sigh. "I've sent Carter back to the gate to get some help. I only hope we're not too late."

"As do I." Tilting his head, his brows knitted in deep thought, Teal'c growled, "I do not believe the Lhavanian leader was honest in his intentions towards us from the start, O'Neill."

"Oh, Teal'c, in so many ways." Jack stepped forward and cautiously pushed the blanket towards the seemingly asleep Daniel with the toe of his boot. "No, my friend I think he had Daniel pegged as their so called 'Savior' from the start, and in typical Daniel style, he fell right into it."

To be continued….


	4. Chapter 4

**Time and Motion**

Chapter Four

Daniel rolled his eyes and sighed, "It's a game, Jack."

Jack eyed the small silver orb that rested in Zahur's hands with deep suspicion. This wouldn't be the first time the team had run into a seemingly innocuous object only to have it blow up in their face. Shifting his attention away from the orb and back onto Daniel, he could see the archeologist's eyes brimming with anticipation and wonder, one hand slightly outstretched but holding back slightly knowing he hadn't been given permission to touch yet.

"A game we know nothing about, Daniel," Jack cautioned, bringing a hint of wariness into his voice.

Withdrawing his hand and lifting a finger to tap at his chin, Daniel shook his head and let out a soft sigh. "Zahur told me that the orb has been part of Lhavanian lore since before they had written history. The true nature of the object has been lost, but every year the men of the village compete to see who can decipher the riddle etched on its surface."

"So," Jack threw his friend a lop-sided grin, tapping the side of his P90 lightly with the tips of his fingers, "they have no idea what this thing does but they're willing to hand the thing around every year just in case it actually does something for someone? Have I got that right?" Jack shook his head in despair and pursed his lips, "Does anyone here not see how stupid this is?"

Daniel turned towards Jack, effectively shielding his body from the view of the village leader. "Jack, no one has been able to decipher this thing in over a millennia, I hardly think it's going to happen now. For all anyone knows, it's probably harmless."

Jack gave Daniel a flat, hard look. "Daniel!" With one word, Jack managed to convey the depth of his scepticism. Shaking his head, he ignored his friend's pointed finger, and got straight to the point. "Ahht! Now, tell me, why you need to look at this object?"

"Jack, come on! Why?" Daniel's hands flew in the air, his eyes flashing with indignation. "From what I've managed to see, the script on the orb is similar to that of Minoan Linea A. Jack, the language is largely undecyphered because there have been so very few fragments of the language ever found. What we find here could be invaluable to understanding the Minoan culture and its language." Holding his hands out wide, Daniel added, "I just need you to trust me."

"Oh, I trust you, Daniel. I just don't know what relevance it has to this mission. Remember the mission? The reason we came here for?" Folding his arms across his P90, Jack waited for Daniel to plead his case. A brilliant linguist, Jack understood the vital role Daniel Jackson played, and he was grateful. As a soldier, the colonel struggled to alter his mindset, a civilian scientist had no right stepping into the line of fire. That was Jack's job, and he was damn good at it. One day, he knew, Daniel's words would fail him, and it niggled under the colonel's skin like a cancer.

"Please, Jack, this could be important." Daniel turned and threw a look back over his shoulder at the gathered crowd. "The game is about to start and this is the perfect opportunity for me to take a look at the etchings."

Nodding his head slowly, Jack reached up and unclipped his P90 from his vest and handed it to Teal'c, "You want a look at this thing, fine, but not without me." Shrugging his jacket and vest up, he threw a warning look in Daniel's direction, "We all know what happens when you touch something."

~oOo~

Sam pulled the collar of her jacket higher up her neck, hoping it might trap in some meager warmth and protect her from the howling winds that were ripping their way down the gully. Jumpy, her nerves on edge, Sam forced herself to calm down. After parting with the colonel, she had let her imagination run wild. "Calm down, Major! Check for the target and concentrate!" She'd been lucky so far. Either they were truly as inept at tracking their prey as she'd hoped or they were far more cunning and were hiding their presence well. Whichever way it was, Sam knew she had no choice but to keep going.

Rounding a small bluff she caught sight of the top of the Stargate, its usually dull-grey Naquadah form bouncing off the last rays of light from the twin suns of the Lhavanian system as they started to set. "So close," she whispered to herself, suddenly aware that the remaining distance to the Stargate would have to be crossed in the rapidly fading light.

Winding her way through the undergrowth and trying to keep in the shadows of passing trees, Sam saw movement off to her left. A flash of red darted behind a nearby outcropping of boulders. Instantly she dropped to one knee, bringing her P90 up to her shoulder and focusing her vision through its telescopic scope. "There you are," Sam muttered, allowing a small smile to grace her face, "not totally useless after all." Taking a quick survey of her surroundings and immediately discarding her first option, the direct route to the gate, she chose a second. Off in the distance she spotted the remains of a settlement. From the tall beams that she could make out through the telescopic sight on her weapon she guessed that some of the buildings must have been at least two stories high, their once proud walls now fallen away under the constant battering of the high winds. Moving the P90 in a small arc away from the settlement she tracked her way back to her current location, noting several ideal places that she could hide if her pursuers chose to attack.

"Guess this is it." Tightening the straps on her pack and gripping her weapon close to her body, Sam hunched down low and slowly made her way left towards the battered settlement, keeping her attention split between the gate and the boulders the Lhavanian's were hiding behind. "Just be good and stay where you are, nothing to see here."

Half an hour of ducking and shuffling through the dense groundcover and battling the once again building winds, Sam found herself approaching the first of the ruins, battered husks of buildings that had had their outer skins peeled away to lay scattered across the terrain. Warped metal beams had twisted under the relentless pressure of cyclonic winds and lay almost flat on the ground. If there was any wooden panelling it was long gone, and the only true remains were large weather-worn bricks that looked like they'd been tossed about with abandon by children.

Sam realized she'd lingered too long looking at the dreary spectacle when she heard the sound of voices carrying over the din of the wind. "They don't know I'm here." She turned in the direction of the voices, trying to pick out human shapes amongst the dust that was being thrown into the air. Seeing nothing, she chanced setting off at a jog, grateful for the generous tail wind that was helping to propel her in the direction of the Stargate.

The murky vision of the DHD loomed through the gloom of the massive storm overhead. Looking skyward, Sam could see long fat trains of clouds swirling towards a central eye that seemed to be blinking at her. Letting out a soft sigh and a spine-numbing shiver, she made her way over to the bulging mushroom shape of the DHD and started pressing down the glyphs for Earth. No sooner had her hand pressed down the glyph for Cancer than a fist-sized rock careened into her shoulder from behind, its force shoving her forward onto the face of the DHD. "What the—" she yelled, using the DHD for leverage as she turned to look over her shoulder. There in the distance she could see the ragtag Lhavanian's, their robes thrashing about in the changing currents of air, one arm up to shield their eyes whilst their other arms were laden with makeshift weapons.

"I don't have time for this," Sam muttered, resolutely ignoring her attackers and turning her attention back to the DHD. "Scutum, Eridanus, point-of-origin, come on, old girl, work your magic." Watching the inner ring of the Stargate spin and lock, Sam quickly rolled up the sleeve of her jacket and tapped in the iris code on her GDO. "Yes!" she yelped as the master chevron engaged and the wormhole formed, billowing out across the raised dais and settling within the confines of the gate.

Chancing a quick look behind her, Sam could almost feel the breaths of the Lhavanians on her neck as she turned and ran up the platform stairs and into the welcoming cold of the wormhole.

~oOo~

Jack hunkered to his knees, groaning at the loud crack. Looking up, he signed as Daniel maneuvred himself further against the wall. With a sob, the little boy threw his hands over his head as if terrified by the lightning and thunder. As a bolt of lightning lit the cave, Jack and Teal'c look at Daniel's huddled body and shuddered simultaneously.

Running a weary hand over his stubbled face, Jack paused long enough to run his fingers through his doubly grey hair. He'd been sitting in this position for the last few hours, unable to reach forward and comfort Daniel but at the same time not willing to leave. Teal'c had been an almost constant figure in this unnerving vigil. The older man had been wearing a path between the mouth of the cave and Jack's side, a look of anger mixed with deep sadness etched on his face.

"Daniel?" Jack's voice was rough, sitting and pleading exhausted him. "Please, Danny, its cold and you're hurting. Just reach out and take the blanket. I won't touch you, I swear, and Teal'c, he'll stay out of reach as well." Leaning in closer, Jack nudged the blanket towards Daniel, never once taking his eyes away from the shivering child.

"I want my… my mommy." The voice come out as barely a whisper and at first Jack wasn't sure if he'd actually heard anything over the ear-splitting crashing of thunder and lightning that was still lighting up the night sky outside.

"Your mommy?" Jack asked, keeping the level of his voice just loud enough to be heard. "I know you do, Danny, but she's not here." Jack inched his way forward, pushing the blanket in front of him, "She's not here, but Teal'c and I are, and we want to help you."

Jack stopped his forward movement when he saw Daniel's head bob up from under his arms, tired blue eyes wide and full of fear. "No," he shook his head weakly, "I don't know you. Mommy said never to talk to strangers."

"Look, kid, I know none of this makes sense to you right now. Nothing around you is familiar, but I need you to trust me." Jack shuffled himself closer towards Daniel, arms outstretched and eyes pleading. "I won't hurt you, Daniel."

"No," Daniel sobbed, a small grimace of what Jack thought was pain causing his forehead to furrow as he ducked his head back under his arms.

Jack sighed and let his arms drop back to his lap. This was going nowhere and Jack could feel his patience starting to ebb away.

Taking the initiative in this game of tug-o-war, Jack climbed to his feet and snagged the blanket into his hand, determined to at least give his friend some warmth from the chill of the cold cave wall. Taking a half step forward he immediately found himself down on all fours, as a massive clap of thunder reverberated through the atmosphere, shaking the ground with such force that Jack thought they'd been hit by an earthquake.

"Daniel!" Jack shouted, lifting his voice over the thunder that was still bouncing off the walls of the cave. Raising a palm to his left ear, he shouted out again, watching as Daniel fell forward into a heap on the ground, his limbs jerking and contorting, eyes wide open in shock.

Scrambling to his friend's side, knees screaming in protest, Jack swiftly maneuvred Daniel into the recovery position. Noting the taut muscles in his neck, Jack uttered a silent prayer that he hadn't bitten his tongue. Shrugging his jacket off, Jack bunched it up and placed it under Daniel's head then wrapped the blanket around his still shivering form.

"Come on, kid," he muttered, running small soothing circles on Daniel's back in the hopes that it might offer him some slight comfort.

"The atmospheric tremors appear to have ceased for the moment, O'Neill, though the wind speed has increased."

"Thanks, Teal'c. I think Carter was onto something when she said the weather was in some way connected to Daniel's condition." Pulling the blanket down away from Daniel's face, he motioned Teal'c forward. "Take a look."

Sliding the blanket even further down, Jack watched as Teal'c took in the form of his unconscious friend. What was, only moments ago, a child of about four years of age, was now a young boy of about ten years. Arms, legs, and torso had grown, muscles become more defined, and facial features had thinned out.

Watching as Daniel's body finally calmed and his face relaxed in sleep, he tucked the blanket back up around his shoulders and gently lifted him across his lap. "I'm a lot warmer than the cold floor, Danny," Jack whispered, knowing that his friend couldn't hear him. Sitting Daniel across his legs, his head nestled in Jack's shoulder, he reached up and smoothed away sweat-soaked bangs from his face, "Ah, Daniel, can't keep yourself out of trouble no matter what age you are."

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

Time and Motion by Eilidh17

Category: Gen, Kidfic

Warnings: Nothing more than Jack's mouth

Disclaimer: Not mine but I enjoy playing with them.

**Time and Motion**

**Chapter 5**

"Much farther, Sam?" Janet yelled, her hair slapping around her face as the wind buffeted her along the densely wooded path.

"I can't be sure." Sam's reply was muffled as she fought to hold onto a nearby tree, her breath heavy from the energy she was expending to keep upright. "I think we're about halfway there but I can't get a magnetic bearing. The storm is interfering with my attempts to get a reading." Holding her gloved hand out, she reached out and grasped onto Janet as the smaller woman stumbled past her, propelled along by the fierce wind. "I've got you!" Sam yelled, pulling Janet closer to the tree and pushing her down towards the ground by the shoulder.

"We need to rest, get our bearings." Wriggling on her butt, Sam moved herself around the sheltered side of the big tree, sighing in relief as the immense trunk cut out a fair degree of the numbing wind. Watching Janet slide around to join her, Sam pulled her radio up to her mouth and pressed the transmit switch. "SG1-niner, this is Carter." Releasing the switch, she leaned back against the barky wall and waited for a reply.

"Nothing?"

"Not unless you like the sound of static." Running a hand through her windswept hair she shook her head and closed her eyes wearily. "I really wasn't expecting an answer. We haven't had a lot of luck with the radios since we got here. The atmospheric activity is playing havoc with just about every piece of technology we've used."

"Do you think they're okay?" Janet asked, biting into the MRE and screwing her face up in distaste at the flavor.

"I honestly don't know." Sam looked at the MRE in her hand and tossed it back into her pack. "That's not our only problem. I can't be sure that the Lhavanian's aren't still hiding around here. Considering they only saw one of us passing through the gate, it's a fair bet they're still looking for the others."

Sam looked across at Janet, noting how the other woman just sat there, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"You do this all the time?" Janet asked incredulously.

Shrugging, Sam allowed herself a small smile. "Some days it even gets exciting!"

~oOo~

Daniel rolled his dry tongue around the roof of his mouth, wincing as bile rose, making him gag. Groaning, he flexed his hand, wondering why his muscles ached and his head throbbed. Forcing his eyes wide open, he blinked with confusion, black stars dancing in front of his face. Swallowing deeply to force back the rising bile, he was suddenly aware of another presence. "Huh? Who's there?"

Panic over rode Daniel's sense of reason, and blindly, he kicked at the blanket cocooning him. Jumping to his feet, the boy looked around wildly for an escape. "Wha—?"

"Daniel!" A gruff voice shouted out near his ear.

Eyes rounding with fear, Daniel felt his arm held firmly. "Hey! No! Lemme go! Lemmee goooo!" Determined to break the hold, he eyed the hand restraining him and hissed, "You'll be sorry, mister!" Grunting, he bit as hard as he could. Pleased with the cry of pain he heard, Daniel snapped, "Told you! I said… lemme go!"

"Holy crap! Did you bite me? Crap!"

Paying no attention to his captor's yelp, Daniel kicked out even harder, frantically trying to free his arm. "Ouch! Let me go!"

"Nope, behave yourself!" The man glowered, and wrapping his arm tight around Daniel's ribcage growled softly into his ear, "That wasn't nice. I know you're scared and confused but that's no excuse for that type of behavior. Now, I'm going to let go, and I don't want you to move. Think you can do that for me?"

Daniel nodded his head slowly. His options were limited and he knew it. Feeling himself released, he grimaced, his arm throbbing from being held.

"Ouch! You hurt me!" Daniel couldn't help the whine that slipped into his voice.

"No I didn't. So, you little hellcat, you okay now?" Daniel watched in confusion as the man grinned at him then sucked at his bitten hand. "I'm the one who should be whining!"

Daniel wrapped his arms around his body and shivered, then immediately felt the softness of a blanket being draped around his shoulders. He tensed momentarily then gripped the edges of the blanket and hugged it tightly.

"Fine! Not sorry though! I warned you to leave me alone!" Daniel muttered sourly under his breath. "Bully!" Flicking his eyes up, Daniel took a quick breath. "Jack?" Confused, he wondered why the man smiling back at him seemed oddly familiar.

"Hallelujah! Yeah, Danny?"

"Jack? Is that you?" Daniel stared at the lean frame of the man before him. "It is, isn't it?" Images flashed into his mind, pictures of places he was sure he'd never been. People he'd never met, and yet in these images Jack was always with him. The memories were so vivid, yet the more he tried to hold onto them, the more they flitted away. Grief and confusion threatened to overwhelm him and he felt an all-consuming tiredness sweep through his body.

"Come on, Daniel, let's get you warmed up."

Allowing himself to be guided by Jack, Daniel fell into the sleeping bag and shivered.

~oOo~

With a backward glance at Daniel softly snoring in Teal'c's arms, Jack sighed and took point, gripping the P90 even tighter in his hands as he took the first step. Leaving the confines of the relatively safe cave hadn't been an easy decision but the slight break in the turbulent weather made it necessary.

Getting Daniel to sleep had been a chore in itself. His young team-mate had been exhausted, and watching him stir, Jack wondered what kind of nightmares he would suffer. Standing by helplessly as his friend writhed on the ground in the throes of repeated seizures had left Jack feeling angry and useless. Nothing he tried soothed Daniel as pain from growing and stretching limbs wracked his body, leaving him weak and incoherent. Comforting the distraught child had made his memories of Charlie resurface. Cradling Daniel in his arms, he refused to remember another deathly still child.

Turning his attention to the path ahead, Jack let out a cleansing breath of air and whispered, "You can do this, O'Neill," and paying no attention to the far off bolts of lightning illuminating even more distant hills, he urged his tired feet forward.

"_S…nine…C..ter," _The hiss and static mixed with the welcoming voice of his 2IC broke Jack from his dark daydreams and he quickly reached for the radio on his vest, fumbling with the 'on' switch and dragging it up to his mouth.

"Carter?" He called, grateful that the din of the wind had quietened down to a dull roar. "Carter, this is SG1-niner, can you read, over?" Pressing the earpiece further into his ear he closed his eyes, praying to pick up her voice amongst the background noise.

Getting nothing in reply, Jack hefted his P90 back up into his arms and set off down the track again, keeping ever vigilant for the Lhavanian patrol.

~oOo~

Ancient trees lined the outer edge of the forest, bending and creaking in the violent storm. Shoulders to the wind, Sam and Janet pressed on, the wind and rain battering and drenching them. Ducking as debris flew through the air, they knew they were in real danger of being hit.

"I don't know how much more of this we can take!" Janet yelled, pulling her boonie down over her ears.

"We have to!" Hugging her weapon close to her chest, Sam tried not to be thankful for the lightning illuminating the night sky. Thankful the light was helping them find their way but worried what it might be doing to Daniel. Slowing down to match Janet's pace, Sam scanned the tree-line to her left and the small bluff to her right. This was the ideal place for an ambush and she hoped the Lhavanian's hated the weather even more than she did. "We can only hope the Colonel and Teal'c have Daniel somewhere safe. The last set of scans I ran showed a steep increase in the wind speed."

Feeling her energy levels begin to wane, Sam snagged Janet's jacket, motioning for her to sit. Panting, her face red and blotchy, she said, "Rest, we need to rest."

"Amen to that." Janet ran her hands wearily over her face, taking a moment to push a stray bang back under her hat, "I can't believe anyone would be out in weather like this."

Taking a sip from her canteen, Sam nodded her head in agreement, "Well, I certainly wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be but Lhavanian's are used to living this way, despite having their village inside a bio dome. This is probably a calm day for them so we can't discount the fact that they're still out here somewhere." Returning the canteen to her pack, she pulled her radio over and thumbed the press-to-talk button. "SG1-niner this is Carter, do you read me, over?" Releasing the button, she closed her eyes, concentrating of the static that was filling her ear-piece.

"SG1-niner, this is Carter. Colonel, Teal'c do you read me?"

"_Cart.. this is O'N…., ..at is y..r posit…, over?"_

"Colonel!" Sam sat bolt upright, her eyes locking on to Janet and a broad smile crossing her face. "We can barely hear you, sir. I have Doctor Fraiser with me. What is your location?"

Hissing and reflexively bringing her hand up to her ear, Sam winced as the spine-chilling static blasted out from the earpiece mixed with the rough tone of Jack's voice.

"_Left th...ve, hea..ng north to th. s... One mi.. out. What is yo.. posi…n, over?"_

"I think he wants to know our position, Sam," Janet offered, her finger pressed to her ear as she listened in through her own headset.

"I got that. They're one mile from the cave heading north towards the gate." Bunching her brow in thought, she brought her finger to her lip and tapped it lightly. "We've travelled at least one and a half miles and the cave was roughly half a mile from the cave so we should only be a mile or so apart."

"They've got Daniel out in this weather?" Janet looked astonished, her eyebrows drawn high.

"I don't think they'd be out in this if they didn't have to be. The weather is localized in some areas so it might not be so rough where they are," Thumbing the radio back on, Sam spoke slowly. "Colonel, we estimate that we are approximately one and a half miles from your location. We've just come up on a forest to our left that stretches all the way to the bluff. Moving in a southerly direction to your location."

Waiting breathlessly, Sam closed a hand over her other ear, straining to hear Jack's voice over the wind and static.

"_Check.. ..ery ten mi..tes, .arter. O'Nei.. out."_

"Nothing about Daniel?"

Sam shook her head. "I'm sure if he was any worse the colonel would have said something." Craning her neck around the broad trunk of the tree, Sam took a good look at conditions away from the tree-line, "Talking of getting worse, the wind has really picked up now." Pulling her diagnostic tool from her vest pocket, Sam quickly scanned the area and frowned at the readout on the small screen. "Electromagnetic activity has intensified and the ground speed is approaching 110 miles per hour."

"Windy?" Janet piped up, shrugging her pack higher on her shoulders and tugging her boonie back on.

"Think Mary Poppins."

"That bad?"

"Uh-huh."

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**Time and Motion**

Chapter 6

"This is just nuts!" Jack had repeated the same mantra so many times now he'd lost track. Rushing headlong into a cyclone was not his idea of an ideal mission, but then again nothing about this particular mission was ideal. Glancing back over his shoulder, he caught sight of Teal'c's bulky form struggling his way through the thick underbrush, carrying Daniel safely in his arms. Shaking his head, Jack had no idea how Daniel could sleep through the deafening sounds of Mother Nature in her bad mood.

With his eyes on the horizon, Jack flinched, multiple lightning strikes arcing through the sky leaving a latent image on his retinas. "Damn," raising a hand to rub his eyes, he muttered, "that was bright." Checking Teal'c was still with him he set off again, shoulder into the wind and head down. "Couldn't see the enemy if he sat on me in this weather."

Following the well-worn path, Jack called for a brief stop, guiding Teal'c to a sheltered outcropping of rocks. Laying Daniel down in his sleeping bag, he ran his hand through the boy's hair and whispered, "The kid could always sleep through anything."

"He has been talking in an unknown language in his sleep."

"He does that a lot, T." Pulling the sleeping bag up higher, Jack stood up and stretched. "Grab something to eat while you can, I'll sit with Danny."

Teal'c tilted his head and nodded briefly, moving away a short distance and leaving Jack with his sleeping friend.

"Carter, come in." Jack hunched into his jacket, the wind whistling around his ears. "Come on, Major, wakey, wakey."

"_I hear you, Colonel."_

Sam's voice was thready and Jack could hear her tension, "Major, what's your position?"

"_Heading your way, sir. Wind speed has picked up in the last hour. I estimate we are approximately one mile from your location. Strong head winds are hampering our movement." _

"Teal'c and I have taken shelter in a rocky outcropping on the edge of the forest tree-line. We'll rest here for a few minutes before setting off again."

"_Acknowledged, sir. Janet wants to know Daniel's condition."_

Taking a quick glance down at Daniel, Jack placed a finger on the pulse point of his neck. "Tell doc he's sleeping, Carter. Pulse is a little fast but he's been coherent the last few times he's been awake. Seizures have stopped for now but we've seen a definite connection between their frequency and the changing weather conditions."

Tapping his foot impatiently at the delay in responding, Jack lifted the radio back up to his mouth. "You still there, Carter?"

"Sorry, sir, Janet was asking me a question. How does Daniel look physically?"

With a frown, Jack wondered how in hell he'd answer that, so pulling the sleeping bag down a fraction he shone his penlight slightly away from Daniel's eyes. Flinching, he saw Daniel looked about the same age as Charlie had been before his accident. "Crap," he murmured, "not now, O'Neill."

"Roughly eight years old, Carter." Eight? Was that right? Daniel was lying on his side and Jack reached down to rub the back of his neck, turning the small head gently in his direction, "No, more like ten. I don't know. I don't do the kid thing well."

"_That's okay-,"_ Suddenly the radio hissed and Jack tapped it out of habit, knowing full well it was the weather jamming the signal, not anything mechanical.

"Carter?" Jack snapped, yelling above the rising din of the storm. "Carter!"

"_Sor.., Sir. Elec...cal act….y in…asing-," _When the radio hissed once more, Jack knew there was trouble, "Aw crap!" Tugging the sleeping bag back up around Daniel he ventured out to the edge of the outcropping. Looking at the night sky he was bathed in a brilliant blue hue, a bolt of lightning striking the ground barely one hundred feet from their position. Staggering backwards, Jack reached out behind him, breaking his fall as he hit the ground butt first. "Holy hell," he bellowed, "Teal'c?" Shaking his stinging hands, Jack twisted his body sideways and scrambled back to where he'd left Daniel, sucking in lung-fulls of ozone-heavy oxygen along the way.

"Here, O'Neill!"

The relief on Jack's face was evident as he saw his friend stagger towards Daniel, scooping up their discarded packs as he went. Watching as Teal'c turned Daniel over, Jack flinched when the boy suddenly screamed, his legs thrashing violently inside the confines of the sleeping bag, "Hold on to him!" Jack yelled, ignoring the pain in his knees and hands as he scrambled across the rocky, broken ground.

"Noooo!" Daniel's pain-filled voice filled the air, his body twisting and contorting.

"Crap," Jack muttered, cursing every weather god he could think of as he threw himself down next to Daniel and fought to hold onto his flailing arms and legs. "Watch his head, Teal'c. Help me get him back on his side,"

Moving a seizing body was not an easy task, even when that body was only ten years old, but with the unpracticed skill of a soldier not trained to be a medic, Jack neatly placed Daniel in the recovery position. "There you go, buddy," he whispered, locking his knees into Daniel's back to stop him from turning over.

Several breath-holding moments later the seizure was over, leaving small tremors coursing through Daniel's overtaxed body.

"Whoa." Jack leaned forward, unzipping the mostly discarded sleeping bag and ran his eyes across Daniel's body. His Lhavanian's robe was tight across his chest. Once reaching down to Daniel ankles, it now sat slightly twisted above his knees.

"I believe DanielJackson has endured another growth period," Teal'c declared, letting go of Daniel's shoulders.

"That would be an understatement." Sliding back onto his butt, Jack massaged his temples, the ghost of an impeding headache adding to his list of aches and pains. "I'm guessing a couple more years." Rubbing his tired eyes, Jack looked up at the inky black night, "Lets get him covered up and-,"

"Nngh." Daniel's voice was barely audible.

Leaning in close, Jack brushed the sweat-soaked bangs gently. "Hey, kiddo, you okay there?"

Jack watched Daniel shake his head, the fog of sleep lingering. Running his tongue across his dry lips, Daniel turned slowly onto his back. "Thirsty!"

"I know, Teal'c's got some water. Do you think you can manage some?" A glance in Teal'c's direction told him the Jaffa was already one step ahead of him, holding his canteen out ready to assist. Threading an arm behind Daniel's neck Jack helped him sit up and pressed the canteen to his lips. "Just a little, Daniel, don't want you bringing it straight back up."

Satisfied Daniel had taken enough water, he withdrew the canteen. Watching a stray dribble running down his friend's chin, he thumbed it away. "Better?"

Daniel nodded slowly, and wincing at the motion, he let out moan. "Uh huh."

Jack chuckled and grabbed a safety blanket from his pack. Wrapping it securely around Daniel's lean shoulders, he asked, "You sure? Doesn't sound like it to me."

Furrowing his brow, Daniel opened a lazy, bloodshot eye and looked at Jack, a small look of confusion flashing across his face. "Jack?"

"That's my name."

"Home?"

"No, not yet but we're getting there. Do you remember where you are?"

Daniel shook his head. "Not really." Opening up his other eye, he held up his arms and frowned. "Not a dream?"

"Not this time. You touched a device and all hell broke loose." Jack watched as Daniel started to list sideways, his eyes drooping, barely able to fend off sleep, "Wanna lay down again?" he asked, gripping Daniel firmly by the shoulders.

"No! Just tell me, what was this device supposed to be?" The chubby, boyish curves of Daniel's face had disappeared, and Jack could see the man Daniel would be.

"O-okay, this might be tricky." With an apologetic shrug, Jack scowled, thinking how to explain to a kid, what he didn't understand himself. Deciding defence was the best offence, he neatly lobbed the ball back into Daniel's court. "Don't you remember?" Crouching down, Jack watched his young friend's face crinkle with confusion.

"No, I don't remember anything. Well, except you! I think." Sitting up and reaching for the canteen, Daniel took another long drink and sniffed loudly. "Ah, so, what are you exactly? Military right? Not my dad? No, you don't look the scholarly type!" With a grin at Jack's grunt of outrage, Daniel laughed softly. "Sorry, you look real smart!"

"Yeah, well, I get by, Doctor Smart Ass." Standing up slowly, and casually ruffling Daniel's already messy hair, Jack nodded at Teal'c. "Hey, T, can you believe this kid? We carry him miles through this crappy weather and this is the thanks we get!" Shaking his head, he complained, "I'm hurt!"

Jack was a man of outstanding intuition. A sad smile crossed his face as he felt Daniel's pain and uncertainty. He knew the boy wanted to trust him, to know he was safe, but understood Daniel's trust was hard won.

Seeing Daniel's eyes brim with unshed tears, his fists bunching tightly, Jack held his hand out. "Hey, come on." Dragging him to his feet, he hugged the trembling body tightly. "We'll be okay, and Carter will fix this." Swaying back and forth, Jack sighed softly.

~oOo~

"We'll be okay, and Carter will fix this."

Jack's nut-brown eyes met Daniel's, willing him to believe in him. With a slight nod, Daniel's head dropped to his chest, as if unwilling to let the older man see the tears in his eyes. Distracted by Daniel's misery, Jack took his eyes off the ball. A cardinal sin. With a start, he cursed under his breath as one of the Lhavanian's hissed behind his ear.

"I don't think your female companion will be fixing anything."

"What the hell?" Jack's reactions were too slow, and as he turned in the direction of the voice, he cursed as his weapon was snatched away. "Bastard!" Grim faced and dangerous, Jack made a step towards the priest. "Big mistake!"

"Oh, I don't think so." With a look Jack could only describe as feral, Zahur kicked out expertly, felling Jack cleanly.

Jack hit the ground hard, and as he twisted his head, he saw Teal'c restrained by three more priests. Wheezing, desperate to suck in air, he caught his friend's gaze and gave his head a quick shake. They were outnumbered and he had underestimated the priests' fighting abilities. They were powerful, and Jack knew instinctively they wouldn't hesitate to kill.

Twisting, Jack fought to throw Zahur off balance. He needed to find Teal'c and Daniel, but Zahur was stronger than Jack gave him credit for, applying more forward pressure than Jack anticipated. Grabbing hold of Zahur's foot, he arched his back off the ground and tossed the man backwards, barely sparing him a second look as Zahur cried out in pain.

Making good his escape, Jack spotted Daniel off to the right, thrashing around under the weight of two of Zahur's priests. "Get off him!" Jack roared, running and throwing himself at Daniel's handlers headfirst. Grateful his aim was true, Jack grunted as the momentum of his body knocked the two men off balance, sending them sprawling several feet away. "Run!" He yelled, rolling to his feet.

A flying kick hit him hard. Grunting with surprise, he felt his arms yanked behind his back. Forced to his knees, Jack hissed, "Bastards," his face bleak and cold.

"You are dead, Zahur." Jack's eyes bored into the priest's. "If you harm Daniel I will make your dying breath excruciating."

"Colonel, enough, you make this harder than it needs to be."

Following Zahur's gaze, Jack suddenly felt totally useless. Daniel was lying face-down on the muddy ground, a trickle of blood oozing from a cut on his temple. "Oh for Christ sake, he's just a boy!"

Zahur released Jack's hair, and sighed again. "The boy is stunned, he is not harmed. None of this would be necessary if you'd just left him with us." Clicking his fingers, he ordered Daniel to be brought to him. "He is ours." Bringing his hand back, Zahur slapped Jack's face, "Do not throw your life and that of your companion's way, Colonel." Taking Daniel by the arm and ordering Jack and Teal'c be restrained, Zahur said softly, "This is not our way; you have forced this upon yourselves."

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

Time and Motion

Part 7

"Down!" Sam ordered pushing Janet behind the scrubby vegetation, the only shelter they could find outside the safety of the forest.

Cursing her heavy pack, Janet went to ground, the hard earth biting into her knees and hands. "What can you see?" She whispered, straining her eyes against the dark and silently hoping the turbulent winds wouldn't carry her away.

"I'm not sure, thought I heard something over the wind." Rummaging through her pack, Sam produced a pair of night vision goggles, "I was so sure-,"

"Noooo!"

"Sam, did you hear that?" Peering over the sprawling bush she was crouched behind, Janet listened intently, brown eyes blinking quickly. Jabbing at the air, she hissed, "Over that way."

"Okay," Sam mumbled, and slipping on the goggles she shuffled forward to scan the area. "I've got them, about five hundred feet away at a rocky outcropping."

Flopping over onto her back, Janet made to sit up but felt Sam's strong arm holding her down. "Not yet," Sam whispered, "I don't think they're alone."

Fumbling with the catches on her backpack, Janet heaved it off her back, rifling through it for her own goggles then sliding them over her eyes, she announced, "I can't see anything, Sam."

"They're there, Janet, at your two o'clock, five hundred feet. Look for a raised outcropping of rocks."

Adjusting her angle of sight, she brought the outcropping into focus and her heart sank. Sam was right. The figures were hard to see in the darkness but there were definitely more than three. Taking her goggles off, Janet rolled over to face Sam and found herself face to face with her friend's Beretta.

"You do know how to use one of these, don't you?" Sam asked, holding the weapon out grip-first.

Taking it in her hands, feeling its weight and the cold of the metal on her skin, Janet looked up at Sam and winced. "I do," she said. Staring down at the small pistol in her hands, she tried not to let distaste show on her face. "Doesn't mean I like to do so though."

Tucking spare clips for her P90 into her vest, Sam looked up at Janet and smiled thinly. "Just point and shoot, but try not to hit one of ours."

"I'll keep that in mind. What's the plan?"

Chewing on her bottom lip, Sam closed her eyes briefly before looking back at Janet. "I want you to follow the tree-line around to the left and come up from behind. Don't approach until I say so and switch your radio to channel seven. If the colonel has been compromised and his equipment taken, I don't want the enemy to know that we're here." Tapping the earpiece on the side of her head, Sam added, "Keep your headset on and don't use the radio unless it's necessary. Take only what you can carry in your vest, we'll leave our packs here."

Janet shrugged, pulled a small first aid kit from her pack and tucked it into a front pocket on her vest. Producing a small knife as well she checked its sheathing and slid it into her boot. "Okay, I think I've got it."

"I'm going to move forward as close as I can and check out the situation. Wait for my call, and Janet?" Janet looked up, meeting Sam's gaze in the pre-dawn light, "Do nothing until I tell you to,"

Janet nodded, trying her utmost to appear calm and in control of the situation, she was a doctor first and a soldier second and right now her friend needed her to be a soldier first. She could do this, she had to do this.

"Okay, Sam, I'm ready."

~oOo~

Sam watched Janet disappear in the remnants of the cold night, grateful that dawn hadn't quite broken over the landscape. Plotting a course through the dense undergrowth, she silently and efficiently worked her way forward towards the outcropping.

Crouching low, Sam withdrew her goggles and took in a sweeping view of the terrain around her. A small mound of earth to her immediate right had her smiling. "Perfect," she muttered softly, finding herself grateful for the distraction of the storm as it concealed her movements.

Stealthily moving up the mound, Sam found herself sliding sideways, a powerful gust of wind catching her jacket and throwing her off balance. "Not now!" she cursed, scrambling to regain her grip on the rocky mound. Finally satisfied with her location, Sam rested the P90 against her shoulder, and adjusting her grip she focused in on the other members of her team.

"Daniel!"

~oOo~

Jack bit back a groan. Kneeling in the soft mud was painful. His knees throbbed and the rope dug into his wrists spitefully. Cursing foully under his breath, Jack traded glares with Teal'c. "Well, big guy, you know what they say! Misery loves company."

"I have failed DanielJackson." Head bowed low, Teal'c glanced sideways at Jack. "My thoughts were occupied with recent events and I failed to hear the approach of the villagers."

"Well, we're both guilty of that, Teal'c. Don't beat yourself up over it." Jack noticed Teal'c's attention drifting to the skies overhead. In the heat of the ambush he'd paid no attention to the storm. Despite the darkness all around, light from the twin moons of this system backlit the angry-looking sky, clouds knitting together in an ever-swirling knot, dark and threatening. Fat rain drops pelted Jack and Teal'c, and shuddering they felt the wind whip around them.

"I fear the weather is once more gaining in intensity," Teal'c whispered, lowering his head again, "We need to execute an escape from this location before DanielJackson is forced to endure another change."

Testing his bonds, Jack grimaced as the rain soaked into his leather bindings, biting his wrists and cutting down the circulation in his already cold-numbed hands. "Crap," he swore, and giving up on that option shifted his position to get a better look at Daniel.

Daniel looked miserable. Shaking violently from the stinging cold, he was offered no protection from the priests surrounding him. Straining to hear, Jack could see Zahur talking to Daniel, but the blustering winds carried his voice away, making him even more anxious for his friend's welfare. "What the hell are they doing?" Furious at Daniel's mistreatment, Jack struggled harder against his bonds, the muscles on his forearms screaming in protest. "If he's so damn important to them why don't they at least cover him up?"

"I do not believe the people of this word are interested in DanielJackson's welfare," Teal'c commented, his face a mask of anger, "They are only interested in his ability to manipulate the device. Once they have learnt this secret they will have no need of him."

"Yeahsureyabetcha. Where's Carter?" Jack sighed.

~oOo~

"Where is the Ipotma?"

Biting his lip, Daniel felt another stinging slap. Having been struck in the same place so many times, the area was virtually numb. Feeling his head being snapped back, Daniel refused to meet the priest's eyes, preferring to focus his attention on Jack, the only person here that he was sure he could trust.

Daniel watched as Zahur looked at Jack, painfully aware he'd shown the man his weakness. Leaning in close, his hot breath warming Daniel's face, Zahur hissed, "Look at their suffering. You can stop this! Tell me the key to the puzzle and I will let your friends go." Daniel flinched as Zahur grabbed his face between his fingers and pressed hard. "Deny me and I will burn them."

"Jack!" Daniel cried, falling backward to the ground, the leather bindings cutting into his already abraded wrists. Lifted and roughly placed back on his knees, he felt Zahur's foul breath tickle his ear.

"He cannot help you child! Again, where is the Ipotma?" Biting at his abused lip, Daniel moaned. Zahur's eyes glinted with signs of madness. "I will burn them, Daniel, and you will hear them scream. Tell me! Tell me!"

Eyes wide with fright, Daniel stammered, "N-n-oo, p-please, don't hurt them! I don't know! Honest!" Sagging to his ass, Daniel's chin dropped to his chest, the day's misery and pain overwhelming him, tears rolling down his cheeks and onto the ground. "Noooo!" Body wracked with pain, Daniel succumbed and let a traitorous sob escape. Jerking his head back, his eyes locked onto Jack's, the fear and pain unmistakable in his young face.

Stepping into Daniel's line of sight, Zahur snatched one of his wrists and jerked the boy to his feet. "Your silence is your answer. The suffering of your friends will be your own doing,"

~oOo~

Sam closed her eyes, letting the tension flow from her body. The finger that had been running lazy rings around the guard of her P90 now rested lightly on the trigger.

Checking her target she squeezed, a sad smile crossing her face as she watched the bullet hit home through the crosshairs of her telescopic lens.

Another life extinguished and another face to haunt her dreams.

~oOo~

The sound of a single bullet cried out in the cold night air as the shot hit true, a solitary trail of blood trickling down Zahur's forehead, skirting his open mouth.

TBC…


	8. Chapter 8

This is it, folks… the final chapter. Thank you for sticking with me this far.

**Time and Motion**

Chapter 8

Rolling swiftly to his feet Jack ducked as the sound of automatic weapons fire filled the air. "That's my girl, give 'em hell!" he said, taking in Zahur's prone form sprawled over Daniel. Spotting Teal'c out of the corner of his eye, Jack grimaced as the Jaffa landed a solid kick to the stomach of the nearest priest. Crouched low, his arms still restrained, Jack spotted Daniel struggling to free himself from the weight of Zahur's body. "Damn it kid, just stay down, will you."

Jack spun around, fingers gripping into his shoulder, to find himself chest to face with Janet Fraiser. Rolling his eyes, he muttered, "Any closer and we'd be married, Doc."

"Think I can help you with that, sir." With a quick motion, Janet sliced through his restraints and handed him the gun. "This is more your thing, sir, I'll stick with the healing."

Not bothering to respond, Jack set off across the outcropping at a sprint, as Carter's P90 kept the remaining priests confused and cowering for cover.

"Daniel!" Jack said as he rolled Zahur's body off his friend, "Come on, buddy. Talk to me!" Ignoring pain from his throbbing wrists, Jack pulled Daniel onto his lap, cradling his head against his shoulder. "Shit, you're freezing. You with me, Danny?"

"Cold," Daniel mumbled, dragging his knees up to his chest.

"I know." Hugging him closer to his chest, Jack watched as Teal'c quickly subdued the remaining priests, herding them into a corner.

"Sir?" Janet knelt in front of him, her hand gripping Daniel's wrist, eyes wide with concern. "How about I take him now?"

"He's cold." Pointing to their packs, tossed to one side, Jack murmured, "Get me an emergency blanket."

Janet nodded and left to fetch the blanket as Sam stepped into the outcropping, her P90 firmly pointed at the priests, eyes alert for threats.

"Sir, you okay?" Concern etched on her face, Sam nodded at his shrug, all business again.

"Nicely done, Major," Jack praised, hugging Daniel closer, "I don't think he would have lasted much longer."

"Only sorry we couldn't get to you sooner." Crouching down, Sam brushed away the hair from Daniel's bruised face. "What could they possibly want to make them do this to a child?"

Shaking his head, Jack had no real answer. "Zahur didn't see him as a child, just a means to an end. That damned puzzle, Major, that's what they wanted. The answer to the puzzle."

~o0o~

"And you think this," Jack pointed his finger at Daniel, his friend wrapped in his sleeping bag and safe in Janet's care, "this is acceptable? Have you lost so much of yourselves that you think it's right to treat people this way?"

Fist clenching and unclenching, Jack paced, his nerves taut. The priests hovered miserably together, casting nervous glances at the unpredictable soldier stalking back and forth.

"Za-Zahur," Maltrof stammered his uneasiness evident in his voice, "he was desperate. The Ipotma was the last technological remnant from our past. We revered it; it was all we had left. Zahur was sure it was important to our people but we had no history to guide us. All we knew for sure was that the writing on the orb held the secret to its use." Raising his face to meet Jack's, Maltrof swallowed, struggling to say what he meant. "Zahur became excited when Doctor Jackson activated the device. Many have tried for so long. With centuries of failure, what was once an enigma became a yearly game to be played. Zahur couldn't believe someone had solved the writings, so he became enraged at your attempt to leave with the boy."

Dangerously quiet, Jack hissed, "What's that?" Stabbing a finger in the air, he snapped, "We offered to help you! Daniel wanted to help!"

Flinching, eyes fixed on Jack, Maltrof pleaded, "Zahur would never accept your help, and it was below him to do so. The proud history of our race-"

"Oh, spare me the history lesson; we've heard it all before!" Thrumming the top of his P90 with his fingers, Jack huffed, "The only difference between you and others we've come across in similar situations is that they welcome our help. They don't trap people in their little games in the hope they might be their salvation. That man, boy, you've just mistreated, would be the first to welcome you with open arms, heck, he would have chewed off his own leg if it meant you got the help you needed. You people are so caught up in your own lies you're leading what's left of your civilization into extinction!"

Maltrof suddenly sat up, a pained expression crossing his face, "You misunderstand, Colonel. Zahur was a maniac!" Eyes darting between Jack and the other priests, Maltrof pleaded, "He was the oldest of our clan, and we had no choice but to follow his lead. Many of us do not condone his actions and would gladly accept your help."

"Well, you can't be too bad off, what about the dome?"

"The dome is old, and by the time we noticed it had failed, we had lost the technology to maintain it. Our people panicked and began to leave. Too few births, we were in danger of becoming extinct."

Feeling his headache return and selling his soul for a Tylenol, Jack whispered, "Yeah, well, they're a bit busy at the moment," silently hoping Maltrof hadn't heard his last comment.

~o0o~

Carter raised her head, the priest's story filling in the gaps. She didn't understand how a people could be technologically deficient when living in the dome. Nodding, she finally understood. "Sir, this makes sense. These people are as much victims as we are. I think we should help them." Seeing Jack's face flicker with irritation, she quickly pressed on. "Sir, think about it, Zahur just wanted to save his world, something we know a lot about."

"We wouldn't stoop to this level of abuse to get what we wanted, Carter."

"Begging your pardon, sir, but you don't know that." Tilting her head towards the Lhavanian priests, their faces solemn and drawn, she added, "Who knows what we would do in a similar situation. Zahur must have seen Daniel's activation of the device as blessing. I think he knew more about what was going on than he led the others to believe."

"Fine!" Shaking his head and wanting no more discussions, Jack crooked a finger towards the priests, calling them over. "Carter here may be able to help you after all." Scowling, he added, "Up to me, I'd nail your asses to the wall."

~o0o~

All the time Jack had been arguing with Sam and the priests, Daniel had been carefully edging away from Janet. "Please," he complained as she dabbed antiseptic on his lip, "you're making it sting!" Seeing Jack lope towards him, Daniel made his escape. "Jack! Save me!"

Grinning at Daniel's pout, Jack couldn't help laughing, "Hey! Don't be such a baby! Well, not for at least ten minutes." Peering at the twelve year old face carefully, Jack asked, "So, you okay? Don't feel sick?"

Shaking his head, not sure what Jack meant, Daniel looked up at the sky and blinked. "The orb," he whispered, "I need to activate the orb!" Turning and running to Sam, he felt his collar snagged.

"Whoa, no, you don't! You aren't touching that damn ball until our eggheads have checked it out." Wagging his finger, Jack growled, "I mean it, Daniel, those seizures almost killed you."

Wriggling from under Jack's restraining hold; Daniel waved his hands in the air, desperate for Jack to understand how important this was.

Grim-faced, Jack seemed to ignore the boy's complaints, "Nope, not gonna happen."

Memories of ancient texts and warnings ran though his mind. The orb was the key to the puzzle. Suddenly, the answer became clear to him. He needed to activate the orb, and when he did, the nightmare would be over.

"Please, I need to do this! It's the answer to everything."

"What answer is that?"

"To this," Holding his arms wide, Daniel turned in a circle, eyes heavenward, "All of this. Jack, the Ipotma was what these people used to use control the weather!"

"Riiight! And you know this how?"

There was no way Daniel could ignore the sarcasm in Jack's voice, and he knew his friend was right to doubt him. Still he pressed on.

"The writings," Closing his eyes, Daniel let the memory of the ancient text flow into his mind, so similar to Minoan but so much easier to understand. The words spoke to him, tickling his senses and filling him with an understanding he couldn't quite put into words.

A code! It was so simple! Individually the symbols meant nothing, but pressed in name group combinations they told a story. He remembered!

"I-I need to, to activate-," Daniel stumbled, reaching out to steady himself, aware of small tremors coursing through his body. "Now!" he pleaded, reaching out to Jack, seeing the other man wide-eyed with fear.

~o0o~

"Daniel!" Jack reached out, pulling Daniel to his chest and guiding his small body slowly to the floor. "Come on buddy, I got you!" Turning him onto his side, Jack was grateful for the emergency blanket Janet thrust at him,

"Carter!" he bellowed over his shoulder, nerves frayed as the fear of another seizure crept into his mind. Looking up at his 2IC, a shocked expression on her face, he snapped his fingers, "Carter, get me that damn device!"

Blinking in confusion, Sam stuttered. "S-sir?"

"You heard me, Major. Get it now!" Reaching down to lay a hand on Daniel's cool cheek, Jack murmured, "God help me if you're wrong about this, Danny."

"Here, sir."

Taking the small silver orb from Sam's outstretched hand, Jack ran his fingers over the surface attempting to get the same feeling for the object that Daniel had. "Sure hope you know what you're doing."

Placing the orb in Daniel's palm, Jack shook his shoulders, grimacing as his friend blinked slowly, his body already shaking from the building seizure. "You gonna be able to do this?"

Licking his lips, Daniel smiled weakly and brought his other hand out from under the blanket to rest on the top of the orb. Jack straightened up and stepped back, frowning at the effort it took his friend just to move.

"S'no problem." Daniel smiled weakly at Jack, his voice rough and slurred. "Piece o' cake, Jack."

Watching Daniel tap the sequence on the orb, Jack lifted his hand to his ears as the air was filled with a high-pitched squeal. Staggering backwards against Teal'c, he caught Daniel's pained expression, fear and realization both etched on his young face.

Falling to the ground, hands clawing at his head, Jack was sure he could hear his own scream adding to the deafening sounds around him. Next to him, Sam was curled in a ball, her P90 lying discarded by her side, eyes scrunched tightly. The priests had fared no better, their crumpled and miserable forms huddled off to one side, many of them rocking back and forth, heads in their hands.

The sound intensified, and Jack turned back to Daniel, his friend's outstretched hand dropping the tiny orb as seizures wracked his already weakened body. Struggling to his knees, Jack lowered his hand and tried to crawl to Daniel, falling once again as the orb opened up, its dull outer shell peeling back to reveal the gem nestled at its center.

The outcropping was suddenly bathed in a brilliant orange hue as a beam shot from the center of the orb, enveloping Daniel, and shooting high up into the sky. Tendrils of orange mist wrapped themselves around the heavy storm clouds, creating a dusk-light effect in the morning sky.

Sweating profusely and arms stinging, Jack put a finger to his ear and groaned when it came away covered in blood. "Hope that's just blood and nothing I actually need." Wiping the blood on his BDU shirt, Jack pulled himself forward, the orange haze that filled the air slowly dissipating as he sought out Daniel.

Feeling his way across the rocky ground, Jack tensed as his hand made contact with a warm body, a soft moan making its way to his ears, "Danny?" he called, blinking furiously to clear his blurred vision. "Come on, give me a sign here."

Clawing his way up the body, he knew something was wrong. Either someone else was lying under the emergency blanket or Daniel had changed again. Pulling the blanket aside, Jack reeled back in shock. Gone was the lean body of a twelve year old boy and in its place was the Daniel they had started this godforsaken mission with. Still lividly bruised from his mistreatment but very much back to his six foot self.

Searching for a pulse, Jack was relieved to find it strong but fast, his friend's skin hot and sweaty. Cupping a hand to his friend's cheek, he whispered close to his ear, "You amaze me, Doctor Jackson."

~o0o~

Scowling, confusion making her frown, Sam arched an eyebrow, "So, this, what? Ipop-Ipotma?" Maltrof, the newly elected head priest of the Lhavanians nodded and Sam continued, "Had Daniel activated it outside of the dome, none of this would have happened."

Holding out her diagnostic tool to Maltrof, Sam scrolled the small screen down, pointed out various pieces of information. "Here are the initial scans we took with our remote probe, and here," moving her finger down she tapped the screen, "this is the scan that I took when the orb was activated. You can see how very close the two results are. Almost identical!"

Maltrof nodded, but Sam knew the man didn't truly understand. It was enough for her to be presenting the evidence as a sign of their goodwill and trust.

"So, you feel the Ipotma was once used to maintain the weather on our planet?"

"Yes, I won't pretend that I understand the technology behind its purpose and design, but it does seem it was meant to be used once a year to regulate the planet's atmospheric conditions." Noting Maltrof's wide-eyed look of confusion, Sam added, "It was used to keep your weather stable."

"Ah" Maltrof said, looking down at the orb nestled comfortably in his hand, "and how will we when know when to use the Ipotma?"

"Well, I'm guessing that whoever designed the orb meant it to be used on an annual basis, hence the oral history that has been handed down over the centuries. At some point in your past, your ancestors must have known when it was to be used and how to activate it. That information might be lost now, but the game that you 'played' yearly shows that at least some of your history has survived. History isn't my area of specialty, that's Daniel's and I don't think he's in any shape to talk about that right now."

Reaching out and tapping the orb lightly, she frowned and chewed on her bottom lip. "I would suggest that the weather will build up again to intolerable levels and this will be your time to use the device again. Once Daniel is fit enough we can return and he'll show you how to use it."

"We have your word on this?" Maltrof looked sceptical.

"You have our word. We don't help people and then just abandon them. If Daniel was in any condition to show this now he would." Looking across at her sleeping team-mate, Sam shook her head and smiled thinly, "He'll be fine once we get him home,"

~o0o~

"The SGC will be sending through food and medical supplies, along with water and removable shelters in the next few days. You should be able to start planting new crops over the course of the next few weeks." Jack listened with half an ear as Sam briefed the Lhavanian priests on the SGC's relief effort. Keeping a discreet distance, Jack grabbed his sunglasses and huffed on them gently, sliding them back on his face. Adjusting them slowly, he looked at the sky. "Who would have thought?"

The sky was crystal clear, the threatening clouds rolled away. Twin moons twinkled in their low orbits, watching over the planet like guardians. The Lhavanians had stood in awe in the aftermath of the orb's activation, their fear-flooded faces morphing into a look of wonder as the orange hue wove its way through the atmosphere, taming the harsh winds and dissipating the clouds.

The priests' procrastinating had tested the colonel's resolve. Bored and biting back smart-ass retorts, his only concern was hauling their asses back home. Daniel was withdrawn after the orb had let loose its beam and shut down. Safely cocooned in his sleeping bag and under Janet Fraiser's ministrations, he'd seemed unconcerned at the events taking place in the overhead sky. Jack couldn't imagine what his team mate was thinking or feeling.

Glancing at the sky briefly, Jack dragged his attention back to Daniel, who was leaning against Teal'c for support. Daniel was pale and drawn, the circles under his eyes, bruised and dark. Blood crusted on his eyebrow and his lip was bloodied and swollen. Jack refused to think what other injuries his young friend had suffered.

Sam walked up to Jack, humor showing in her eyes "Well, sir, the Lhavanians have expressed their deep and undying regret of their treatment of Daniel." Grinning, she added, "They look forward to establishing diplomatic relations with us in the future."

"They have a government that we'd like to have relations with?" Jack taunted sarcastically.

"Sir?"

"Nothing, Major, how 'bout dialing up the gate so we can go home. I think we've all had just about enough of this planet."

Nodding her agreement, Sam approached the DHD and began the dial-up sequence, her GDO resting on the surface, waiting for her to input the iris code. Reaching into his pocket, Jack withdrew Daniel's glasses, having rescued them when the orb first activated.

Helping Teal'c guide Daniel up the dais to the gate, Jack stopped, and facing him, slid the glasses back on his face, "Here ya go, Doctor Jackson, so you can see what not to touch next time."

THE END


End file.
